Coutts

[TonyAgana]

A few of observations I've made of him over the weeks:

1) He spends a lot of the match at walking pace and with flat feet, never on his toes.
2) Doesn't support an attack - yes, he's there to "protect the back four" but there's often 20 yards of space in front of him.
3) Directs traffic - for me that's often an indicator of someone lacking physical involvement in a game (Brian Howard, James Harper, Paul Thirlwell)

I refute the "scapegoat" accusation - when a team hasn't played well, you look at players whose shirt is up for review.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

There's a player in there somewhere. Not sure this is the time of the season for a search and rescue operation, though.

 

[borbokis]

Coutts or Brayford

In all seriousness I have considered Brayford's recruitment and consequent lack of form a bit disturbing both himself and the team as a whole, I thought he'd give us a kick up the arse but he doesn't seem that type of player anymore.

 

[TonyAgana]

In all seriousness I have considered Brayford's recruitment and consequent lack of form a bit disturbing both himself and the team as a whole, I thought he'd give us a kick up the arse but he doesn't seem that type of player anymore.

He's the only reason I get up in the morning.

 

[alcoblade]

He has been disappointing, I expected more.

He's definitely our new scapegoat though. There was one on Saturday where Coutts was steaming forward at pace and Murphy had it on the right touchline. Murphy played it square but behind Coutts as opposed to in front for him to run on to. All the crowd got on Coutts' back. Heaven forbid moaning at Murphy (the golden boy), who was equally as shit on Saturday.

I was waiting for the first cry of "scapegoat".

It's just possible that some players are presently crap, and identifying that is just a simple statement of fact, at least in the eyes of the beholder.

Now, picking on someone like Stephen Quinn, who goes on to prove himself in the premiership - now that would be scapegoating.

UTB

 

[longinthe toothblade]

He looks like a once good player who may have been terminally compromised by serious injury. We'll see either way over time.

100%.

As per 'Zablade' my Derby supporting pal next door and my Derby supporting work colleagues in Sandiacre have said exactly this about Coutts. They reckon he was a 'shoe in' prior to his injury and the engine room of the team. That said, they all say he hasn't been anything like the same player since his return.

Nigel is persisting with him because he sees him as the natural replacement for Doyle. Personally, unless there is an almighty change in his fortune on the pitch, I simply don't see it. Pity because it sounds like he was a v good player before he got crocked.

It happens!

 

[bertieblade]

If you could put Coutts and Holt together you would have, a v good player.

The problem is we only need one of them and neither is complete

 

[mattbianco1]

I was waiting for the first cry of "scapegoat".

It's just possible that some players are presently crap, and identifying that is just a simple statement of fact, at least in the eyes of the beholder.

Now, picking on someone like Stephen Quinn, who goes on to prove himself in the premiership - now that would be scapegoating.

UTB

He is a scapegoat. He gets criticism from sections of the crowd none stop. As I highlighted, on one occasion it was totally Murphy's bad ball which meant the attack died down but it was Coutts that took the stick.

Remember last season around September time? People wanted to send Conor Coady back to Liverpool because he wasn't worth the wages. People need to give players time.

Coutts has come in at a difficult time where the management and fans are getting a bit tetchy. You can see he's got the attributes.

 

[alcoblade]

He is a scapegoat. He gets criticism from sections of the crowd none stop. As I highlighted, on one occasion it was totally Murphy's bad ball which meant the attack died down but it was Coutts that took the stick.

Remember last season around September time? People wanted to send Conor Coady back to Liverpool because he wasn't worth the wages. People need to give players time.

Coutts has come in at a difficult time where the management and fans are getting a bit tetchy. You can see he's got the attributes.

I cannot see any attributes. He's crap, all round. I'd accept that there might be something not right and that he might come good. Right now, he's fucking useless and it's costing us. It's the wrong time to be hoping something comes good.

By scapegoat, if it means they get more criticism than they sometimes deserve, then that will inevitably be the case with someone stealing the shirt. He's possibly taking more of the flack than he deserves, because there's more wrong than him - namely Clough's cautious and incredibly dull approach to the game. Coutts all round game suits Clough's tactics perfectly.

UTB

 

[Kenilworth]

He is a scapegoat. He gets criticism from sections of the crowd none stop. As I highlighted, on one occasion it was totally Murphy's bad ball which meant the attack died down but it was Coutts that took the stick.

Remember last season around September time? People wanted to send Conor Coady back to Liverpool because he wasn't worth the wages. People need to give players time.

Coutts has come in at a difficult time where the management and fans are getting a bit tetchy. You can see he's got the attributes.

Agree players coming back from injury need time - but it's time at this stage of the season that we simply don't have - we are not a Coutts rehabilitation centre.
He needs a good pre season under his belt and then we shall see - unfortunately that looks to be another Division 3 season.

On the other aspect - seeing attributes. I see a player who is thinking the right things but just unable to execute them properly. You see that in players that are very unfit or coming back from long term injury. Take that volley after we went 2-1 down - I'll bet in his Derby days and Preston days that would have flown into the net but you could see that in his mind he played it one way and in reality he didn't get his knee over it, snatched at it and it ended up over the bar.

There might be a decent player in there somewhere but given where we are and what we are looking to achieve there is absolutely no way he warrants a shirt. If we were in mid table mediocrity and building for next season then fine - maybe we are

 

[borbokis]

He is a scapegoat. He gets criticism from sections of the crowd none stop. As I highlighted, on one occasion it was totally Murphy's bad ball which meant the attack died down but it was Coutts that took the stick.

Remember last season around September time? People wanted to send Conor Coady back to Liverpool because he wasn't worth the wages. People need to give players time.

Coutts has come in at a difficult time where the management and fans are getting a bit tetchy. You can see he's got the attributes.

also basham this season

 

[finlaytheblade]

100%.

As per 'Zablade' my Derby supporting pal next door and my Derby supporting work colleagues in Sandiacre have said exactly this about Coutts. They reckon he was a 'shoe in' prior to his injury and the engine room of the team. That said, they all say he hasn't been anything like the same player since his return.

Nigel is persisting with him because he sees him as the natural replacement for Doyle. Personally, unless there is an almighty change in his fortune on the pitch, I simply don't see it. Pity because it sounds like he was a v good player before he got crocked.

It happens!

after a serious injury it can take some players a full season to get back to where they were but just like wallace he will have had a medical and the underlying problem solved looks like as with wallace we will have to be patient.I am of the opinion that clough is willing to wait for these players to fully recover and is not faized by the time it takes his style is to build his squad and if it takes while next season for them to get back to where they were he will take that.My fear is if we dont make playoffs at least he will be sacked due to fan pressure(its happened before)and the team he is building will be ripped apart by a new broom and we have to start all over again do we really want that?. i dont! we must stick with clough.

 

[TonyAgana]

He is a scapegoat. He gets criticism from sections of the crowd none stop. As I highlighted, on one occasion it was totally Murphy's bad ball which meant the attack died down but it was Coutts that took the stick.

Do you mean the same way that Davies got stick for his pass up the line to nobody when it was actually intended for Coutts but he'd opted against looking for a return ball?

A scapegoat is someone who is attributed blame for the failings of many. I don't see that at all with Coutts, rather he is a passenger at present and we have better options.

 

[Blackheath Blade]

He has been disappointing, I expected more.

He's definitely our new scapegoat though. There was one on Saturday where Coutts was steaming forward at pace and Murphy had it on the right touchline. Murphy played it square but behind Coutts as opposed to in front for him to run on to. All the crowd got on Coutts' back. Heaven forbid moaning at Murphy (the golden boy), who was equally as shit on Saturday.

Agreed Matt, Coutts seems to have been installed as the current scapegoat yet he wasn't the worst player for United on Saturday.

 

[alcoblade]

Agreed Matt, Coutts seems to have been installed as the current scapegoat yet he wasn't the worst player for United on Saturday.

No, most of them were rubbish on Saturday, so that makes them scapegoats. Clough has been poor most of the season, so let's scapegoat him. Turner is nowhere near as good as Howard, so he too is a scapegoat.

Makes me wonder what has happened to previous scapegoats such as Jonathan Hunt and Brian Howard.



UTB

 

[Pittsburg Blade]

No, most of them were rubbish on Saturday, so that makes them scapegoats. Clough has been poor most of the season, so let's scapegoat him. Turner is nowhere near as good as Howard, so he too is a scapegoat.

Makes me wonder what has happened to previous scapegoats such as Jonathan Hunt and Brian Howard.



UTB

Leon Britton, Jamie Ward, Billy Sharpe....also received some serious flak

 

[alcoblade]

Leon Britton, Jamie Ward, Billy Sharpe....also received some serious flak

So where they scapegoats? I just don't get it. Are you suggesting Coutts might come good? He just might, I accept that. I argue it's just not the right time to find out.

Can someone make an argument for why Coutts isn't playing like dogshit, rather than hiding deserved criticism behind a lazy tag?

UTB

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

He has been disappointing, I expected more.

He's definitely our new scapegoat though. There was one on Saturday where Coutts was steaming forward at pace and Murphy had it on the right touchline. Murphy played it square but behind Coutts as opposed to in front for him to run on to. All the crowd got on Coutts' back. Heaven forbid moaning at Murphy (the golden boy), who was equally as shit on Saturday.

Be better if neither got grief?

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

after a serious injury it can take some players a full season to get back to where they were but just like wallace he will have had a medical and the underlying problem solved looks like as with wallace we will have to be patient.I am of the opinion that clough is willing to wait for these players to fully recover and is not faized by the time it takes his style is to build his squad and if it takes while next season for them to get back to where they were he will take that.My fear is if we dont make playoffs at least he will be sacked due to fan pressure(its happened before)and the team he is building will be ripped apart by a new broom and we have to start all over again do we really want that?. i dont! we must stick with clough.

Agree with that, have we the fans got the paitence?

 

[mattbianco1]

So where they scapegoats? I just don't get it. Are you suggesting Coutts might come good? He just might, I accept that. I argue it's just not the right time to find out.

Can someone make an argument for why Coutts isn't playing like dogshit, rather than hiding deserved criticism behind a lazy tag?

UTB

No. A scapegoat is somebody who's face doesn't fit. Someone who gets groaned at every time they play a misplaced ball. Someone who is greeted with sarcastic comments when they play a good one. Someone that's laughed at when he has a wayward shot.

Michael Doyle used to be this man but has won many (most) over.

Nick Montgomery is the biggest scapegoat ever yet managed to pick up nearly 400apps under numerous managers. Each one of those managers must know sod all if they think he's a good player because us fans know the truth

 

[Jehovah]

I cant believe some are raising a defence that he is the new scapegoat. He has only landed himelf that title because of his consistent shitness.

 

[alcoblade]

No. A scapegoat is somebody who's face doesn't fit. Someone who gets groaned at every time they play a misplaced ball. Someone who is greeted with sarcastic comments when they play a good one. Someone that's laughed at when he has a wayward shot.

Michael Doyle used to be this man but has won many (most) over.

Nick Montgomery is the biggest scapegoat ever yet managed to pick up nearly 400apps under numerous managers. Each one of those managers must know sod all if they think he's a good player because us fans know the truth

So, how do you describe someone who hasn't put in a worthwhile performance in about 10 games? I'd say they're playing like shit, but I'm all ears?

UTB

 

[mattbianco1]

So, how do you describe someone who hasn't put in a worthwhile performance in about 10 games? I'd say they're playing like shit, but I'm all ears?

UTB

He has been disappointing. There are players playing equally as bad though. Coutts is the one that gets it off the fans though. Nobody dares to boo and moan at Murphy for some reason.

Suppose it takes it away from Higdon for a bit though.

 

[Lane Ender]

Its probably wrong to have a go at Coutts through no fault of is own he sustained a possibly a career threatening injury and hes clearly struggling.
The injury is cronic and for sure hes a shadow of his former self its the same with Wallace.
Clough thought Coutts could get away with it stepping down to L1 but nowhere near the quality of the championship L1 is a hard and brutal division and any player needs to be fully fit to compete.

 

[Bladesman]

 

[alcoblade]

He has been disappointing. There are players playing equally as bad though. Coutts is the one that gets it off the fans though. Nobody dares to boo and moan at Murphy for some reason.

Suppose it takes it away from Higdon for a bit though.

Well, there a couple of differences between Murphy and Coutts;

You'd hope players who've actually done it for us would have earned at least a bit of respect and benefit of the doubt?

I'd support a player who is trying to make it happen, everyday, over one who's hiding behind his team mates.

Coutts hides, or takes the simple option, almost every time. Murphy at least tries to beat his man.

Coutts really deserves the criticism he's getting. Respect can quite easily be earned though.

By the way, if we are talking about verbal abuse during a game, then that's unfair, counter productive and not something I condone.

UTB

 

[TonyAgana]

No. A scapegoat is somebody who's face doesn't fit. Someone who gets groaned at every time they play a misplaced ball. Someone who is greeted with sarcastic comments when they play a good one. Someone that's laughed at when he has a wayward shot.

Michael Doyle used to be this man but has won many (most) over.

That's not my definition of a scapegoat. What you're describing there is plain old apathy. The way to beat that is to gain the backing of the fans through good performance. Montgomery won over a number of fans (me included), Murphy and Doyle have both earned it, Coutts as yet hasn't. I don't think that's unfair.

 

[mattbianco1]

Well, there a couple of differences between Murphy and Coutts;

You'd hope players who've actually done it for us would have earned at least a bit of respect and benefit of the doubt?

I'd support a player who is trying to make it happen, everyday, over one who's hiding behind his team mates.

Coutts hides, or takes the simple option, almost every time. Murphy at least tries to beat his man.

Coutts really deserves the criticism he's getting. Respect can quite easily be earned though.

By the way, if we are talking about verbal abuse during a game, then that's unfair, counter productive and not something I condone.

UTB

I think Coutts could do with people making the better run. He sees a pass and goes for it and ultimately it goes into dead space because the striker didn't make the run.

As I've said above, I expected more from him but people seem to blame him for a lot when it's not all down to him.

 

[alcoblade]

I think Coutts could do with people making the better run. He sees a pass and goes for it and ultimately it goes into dead space because the striker didn't make the run.

As I've said above, I expected more from him but people seem to blame him for a lot when it's not all down to him.

I actually prefer the scapegoat defence to the notion that the problem is everyone else's lack of vision.

He's just been shit Matt. It's not at all complicated.

He doesn't deserve verbal abuse and he might come good, but that's another story.

UTB

 

[finlaytheblade]

That's not my definition of a scapegoat. What you're describing there is plain old apathy. The way to beat that is to gain the backing of the fans through good performance. Montgomery won over a number of fans (me included), Murphy and Doyle have both earned it, Coutts as yet hasn't. I don't think that's unfair.

maybe if coutts is given a bit of space he will become a fans favourite as murphy and one or two others you mentioned have.
He,s done it at a higher level so he must have something to offer maybe we should be a bit patient with him or maybe take him out of the firing line for a while, clough obviously beleaves in him .You can tell he has quality on the ball maybe clough is
expecting too much from him as he had oly played a handfull of games before he came to us and coming back from seriouse injury its not easy to pick up where you were before the seriouse injury